Textile oil



United States Patent TEXTILE OIL Lorne W. Sproule, Sarnia, Ontario, and Warren C. Pattenden, Courtright, Ontario, Canada, assignors to Esso Research and Engineering Company, a corporation of Delaware No Drawing. Application June 13, 1952, Serial No. 293,443

1 Claim. (Cl. 2528.7)

The present invention relates to textile oils and particularly'to emulsifiable oil compositions which are used in the processing of wool into woolen fabrics. The invention relates more particularly to an oil composition of optimum viscosity which forms a highly stable emulsion and at the same time is readily scoured from the wool after processing. ,1

"In United States Patent No. 2,565,403 to Sproule and Dixon there is described a textile oil composition which has been commercially successful and which contains a combination of several relatively expensive ingredients. Specifically, the preferred composition described in said patent consists of a major proportion of mineral lubricating oil of high grade, with a substantial concentration of sodium sulfonate combined with sorbitan monooleate and a polyoxyethylene derivative of sorbitan monooleate. As is pointed out in the patent the various properties required for a good textile oil seemed to require these several additives. Sodium sulfonate, which is widely used as a detergent in textile oils, tends to increase the viscosity of such oils to a marked degree. The other additives mentioned above were considered necessary for proper emulsification and reduction in overall viscosity.

2,706,713 Patented Apr. 19, 1955 tion product should be so proportioned between ethylene oxide and fatty acid as to have a saponification number between and 110, the fatty acids having an iodine number range between and 110. Pure oleic acid has an iodine number of about 90the commercial acids range from about to 105.

Several types of these condensation products are available commercially. As noted above, they are obtained by condensing various quantities of ethylene oxide with suitable unsaturated fatty acids. The Antara Chemicals Division of General Dyestuffs Corporation, for example, markets three such products designated respectively as Agent 377 BK," Agent 377 LE and Agent 377 AB. Agent 377 BK has a saponification value of about 106 and its fatty acid component has an acid number of 195. and an iodine number of 86. Agent 377 LE has a saponification value of 93 (ASTM D. 94-48T), the fatty acid component having an acid number of 188 and an iodine number of 98. Agent 377 AB has a saponification value of 74.5 and an acid number in the fatty acid component of 194, iodine number 85. The acid components have not been specifically identified but they are known to be unsaturated acids of about the character of oleic acid. Routine calculation based on these analytical data reveals the following mol ratios of ethylene oxide to fatty acids in these agents: Agent 377 BK about 5:1, Agent 377 LE about 7:1 and Agent 377 AE about 13:1. These agents may thus be described as polyethylene glycol esters of unsaturated fatty acids produced by condensing 5-13 mols of ethylene oxide with 1 mol of unsaturated fatty acid.

A number of examples of compositions made according to the present invention were prepared using various proportions of each of the emulsifying agents or condensation products described above. The formulas of these various compositions showing their respective properties regardiig iemulsion stability and scouring, etc. are shown in Ta e Formulae and inspections of wool oils TABLE I Designation R645 R-657 R-624 R-655 R4556 R-647 R-651 R625 R-654 R-652 Sodium Sulphonate (65/35) 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 Agent 377 BK 0. 25 0. 1. 8 2. 7 3. 6 Agent 377 LE 0. 25 0.90 1.8 2. 7 3.6 Mineral Oil (-V/100, 90-V. 87. 75 87. 1 86. 2 85. 3 S4. 4 87. 75 87. 1 8G. 2 85. 3 84. 4 Inspections:

Emulsion Stab1lity* 10 2 1. 5 0.5 4 10 1 nil 3% 4 Securing Test 20-6 8.1 16. 3

Viscosity at 100 F., S. S. U 151 132 157 159 137 157 138 172 Stability at Room Temperature OK 0K 0 0 OK OK OK 0 OK OK Designation Iii-646 R-659 R-626 R-658 R660 R4564 R-665 Sodium Sulphonate (65/35) Agent 377 LE Agent 377 AE Mineral Oil (loo-W100, 90V. I.) Inspections:

Emulsion Stability Scouring Test" Viscosity at 100 F., S. S. Stability at Room Temperature 10 2 1 nil 18. 7 2. 1 1. 3 141 178 245 403 OK OK OK OK '00s. of separation of 10% emulsion after 24 hours.

Percent; residual oil based on weight of oil applied. Scouring liquor composed of 0.2% soap and 0.1% soda ash in water.

According to the present invention it has been found that a single additive of new type, instead of the two sorbitan derivatives mentioned above, may give superior results when used in combination with mineral oil containing metal sulfonates. Thus, according to the present invention, a superior textile oil may be prepared by combining with a major proportion of mineral base oil of lubricating grade and a suitable proportion of metal soap, preferably an oil soluble petroleum sulfonate, and especially sodium sulfonate, 0.5 to 5% by weight, based on the total composition, of a non-ionic detergent condensation product obtained by condensing various proportions of ethylene oxide with an unsaturated fatty acid of an optimum iodine number range. The unsaturated fatty acid is preferably of the C12 to C22 range, oleic acid or acids having the same general iodine number range as oleic acid being specifically preferred. The condensa- In addition to being a lubricant a textile oil, especially a wool oil, must have the properties of forming a stable emulsion with Water and also of being readily scoured or washed out of the wool without excessive manipulation. The property of emulsion stability was measured by preparing a 10% emulsion of the oil composition in water and storing it for 24 hours at room temperature. At the end of this time the amount of oil or cream, that is an emulsion rich in oil, which separates in a distinct layer, was determined. The property of scourability was determined by oiling a sample of woolen cloth with a measured quantity of the oil product, scouring or rinsing with a water solution containing 0.2% of soda soap (stearate) and 0.1% soda ash at 110 F. The residual oil remaining in the cloth after water scouring was extracted with ether and the weight of the residual oil on the wool was reported as a percentage of the original oil applied.

As shown in Table I above, each of the three agents listed appeared to impart a maximum emulsion stability at a specific concentration which maximum varied somewhat with the agent. Thus, a wool oil containing 12% of a 65:35 sodium sulfonate-oil concentration and 2.7% of Agent 377 BK showed a minimum of 0.5 cc. separation in the emulsion test. With Agent 377 LE the greatest emulsion stability was obtained with a concentration of 1.8%; in the case of Agent 377 AB a concentration of 0.9% gave the best emulsion.

Also included in Table I above are some compositions which contained 18 and 24% respectively of the sodium sulfonate-oil concentrate. Combined with 2.7 and 3.6% of Agent 377 LE respectively these showed high emulsion stability.

On the basis of scouring tests it will be noted that Agent 377 LE showed the best oil removal, 16.2%, remaining in the wool. By increasing the sodium sulfonate concentration to 18 and 24% respectively with 2.7 and 3.6% of Agent 377 LE extremely low scouring test values of 2.1 and 1.3% residual oil were obtained. The presence of residual mineral oil in woolen fabrics interferes seriously with dyeing and other finishing operations. Excessive washing or scouring operations to remove the residual oil are not desirable either. It may be noted that by increasing the proportions of Agent 377 BK from 1.8 to 2.7% the residual oil after scouring is reduced from 20.6 to 8.1% and gives greater emulsion stability. With Agent 377 AB a reduction in amounts used from 1.8 to 09% reduces residual oil in the fabric after scouring from 28.4 to 18.7% and also gives superior emulsion stability.

Another requirement of satisfactory textile oils is that there is no separation of ingredients or gelling at room temperature. The oil compositions in Table I which contained the highest proportions of Agent 377 AE were unsatisfactory in this respect. Hence, when this particular agent is employed it must be employed in somewhat smaller proportions than the related agents listed.

Although addition agents have been described above as the condensation products of ethylene oxide and unsaturated fatty acids, they may be described also as polyethylene glycol esters of unsaturated fatty acids having the particular properties named above. It is important that their iodine numbers shall fall within the range between and 110, preferably between and 100. Preferred proportions obviously may be varied somewhat with the various agents but in general they range between 0.5 and 3% of the condensation product. The sulfonate concentration is preferably between 12 and 18% on the 65:35 concentration basis, i. e. about 8 to 12% on a dry sulfonate basis. In some cases, lower sulfonate content is useful. In oils where quality can be sacrificed to a minor degree for economy, sodium sulfonate may be used in proportions as low as about 9% on the 65:35 concentrate basis or 6% on the dry sulfonate basis. Hence a broader range of 6 to 12% sulfonate (dry basis) is considered operable.

It will be understood from the foregoing that a single condensation product or agent replaces two separate agents which were formerly required, as described in the patent mentioned above, and gives superior products with greater economy. In one specific case overall cost of the new oil was reduced by 15 to 20% without any sacrifice in quality.

Obvious variations in compositions are contemplated as being within the scope of the invention, including for example, the addition of anti-oxidants, inhibitors, and other conventional additives.

What is claimed is: A textile oil having the approximate formula by weight:

Per cent Mineral oil of lubricating grade and viscosity 85.3 to 90.2 Oil soluble sodium petroleum sulfonate (dry basis) 8 to 12 Condensation product of about 7 moles of ethylene oxide and about 1 mol of commercial oleic acid, said product having a saponification number of about 93 1.8 to 2.7

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,970,578 Schoeller et al Aug. 21, 1934 2,314,450 Holtzclaw Mar. 23, 1943 2,565,403 Sproule et al. Aug. 21, 1951 OTHER REFERENCES Chemicals by Glyco, 1944, Glyco Prod. Co. Inc., N. Y. Pp. 4, 5, and 18 are pertinent. Copy in Div. 64. 

